Huntsville gazette., 1887-12-10
QUAINT OLD CHARITY.
How An Englishman Left . Record OF His
Hatred Of Lawyers.

QUAINT OLD CHARITY.
How An Enslishman Left . Record OF His
Hatred Of Lawyers.
The most striking features of Roch-
ester, architecturally speaking, are the
famous old cathedral and castle, but it
has one small house to which curious
visitors at once turn their steps. 1t is
known as the "Home of the foor
Travellers" and is one OF the most
UNIQUE charities in existence. The
house has been restored since the days
of its founder, but still bears above the
door this curious inscription cut in q
stone slab:
RICHARD WATTS, Esq,
By his will, dated % Aug, 1873,
Founded this Charity
For Six Poor Travellers,
Who, not being Rogues or Proctors, may receive
gratis for one night
Lodging Entertainment and Four Pence each.
Richard Watts, the founder, was a
man of considerable property, and pre-
sumably of a litigious disposition, and
having suffered much during his life at
the hands of lawyers, then styled proc
tors, contrived while making this char
liable bequest to give lasting proof of
his enmity by CHASING them with
rogues and excluding them forever
from participating in its benefits.
When this bequest was made the in
come ws.s derived from land which
eventually became very valuable for
building purposes, and its revenue
enormously increased. Charles Dick
ems computed that the poor received
about one-thirtieth of the money which
was their due, the rest being swal-
lowed up by lawyers and red tapery.
This led to some investigation Of the
funds of the estate, and the London
Charity Commissioners strove to draw
Watts charity into its capacious nav,
but the citizens of Rochester stoutly
resisted, and the management now
rests in the hands of life directors ap-
pointed by the city. The Office though
gratuitous is very honorable.
A lamp formerly burned over the
door under which such poor travellers
as were desirous of the shelter within
were wont to congregate, but under
the present system they betake them
selves to the police station where an
officer makes selection of six, who, hav-
ing received their tickets, proceed to
the house at six o'clock. when they are
conducted to bath room and then to
their supper room. The intention of
the founder was to help honest working
men who were tramping from town to
town in the pursuement Of their calling,
and every care is taken to carry out his
purpose, to the exclusion of the genuine
tramp. To each guest one pound of
cooked meat, one pound of bread and
one pint of porter is served, each being
of the best. No breakfast is given, but
any one is allowed to retain portion
of his allowance until morning. After
supper they adjourn to room in the
rear, where they are at liberty to smoke
until they retire. This room is an ad-
dition made when the building was
restored some years ago. The stairs
and floors are of old oak, and, like the
beds and the entire house, are scrupu-
lousy clean. In the morning each
man records his name, address and
business, and receives eight cents be-
fore he departs. When inquiries are
made the addresses given are generally
found to be correct. In these old books
we also find interesting items showing
that some who have visited the place
as poor travellers have come again in
affiuence.
The visitors book contains the names
OF many illustrious people. Among
them is the striking signature of
Charles Dickens, who laid here the
scene of one of his Christmas books,
the 'Seven Poor Travellers"
Richard Watts did not forget the
fairer portion of humanity, several of
whom find comfortable home in an
almshouse supported from his estate
certain number of them receive a
comfortable income on the condition
that for SO many days week they
must go when called upon to nurse,
frae of charge, such of the sick poor as
may ask for their services. Commodi-
Gus bath houses have recently been
built by the trustees out of surplus
funds, where baths may be had and
swimming learned at nominal charge
-Rochester (Eng.) Cor. ~ Y San.